It's a small world...

Don't start humming that tune or it will stay with you all day....or is it too late?

A few weeks ago at knitting, I met a young woman who comes in with a woman around my age. I will call the young woman Lisa and the other lady Cindy. None of the names that I use today will be actual names of people in this story except for my family. The women aren't mother and daughter, Cindy is the mother of Lisa's boyfriend.  After a few sessions together, Cindy asked me if I grew up in the area of the yarn store. I said not that very city, but the next one to the north. Lisa asked which of my town's 3 high schools had I attended. I told her. Then she asked when I graduated. (Gulp) 40 years ago in 1970. She said "so did my dad!". Of course I asked his name...Joe Smith. No kidding! Joe and I grew up on the same street and went to school from kindergarten through 12th grade together!
My husband did not grow up in my city. He grew up in Detroit and went to a parochial high school. When we were dating, he bowled on a Friday night league near my parent's house. One night Joe walked in and smiled with recognition as he walked toward us. I thought he was coming to say hi to me. Nope, he was saying hi to Bill. He knew Bill from their mid teen years when they worked in businesses next door to one another.

Ten years or so later, Bill and Joe worked together and I met Joe's wife at company Christmas parties and the annual summer picnic. She was very quiet and we both had young kids to keep tabs on so we had little more than a nodding acquaintance. She had a distinctive first name that I had not heard before or since, Paz.

A few days before this discussion with Lisa, I was reading a Facebook comment by one of my younger son's friends, Emily. Paz had replied to Emily's post and I wondered how the two women knew each other. I asked Lisa how her mother knew Emily. Emily's mother and Paz were long time friends, having worked together years ago. Second coincidence in one evening. I thought we were done.

Last week at knitting, a story in the local news led to a discussion of the area where our cottage is located. Lisa had fond memories of visiting her friend's grandparents cottage throughout their childhood. The grandparent's cottage is across the street from ours, and if that wasn't enough of a surprise, her friend's parents live two houses away from my other son here in town.  Two more coincidences! Surely we are done now, right?
Yesterday I was with my future daughter-in-law's mom working on wedding invitations. Talking about coincidences, I told her this story but hadn't mentioned names. Kim's mom knows Emily who is going to be one of Kim's bridesmaids. When I got to the part of the distinctive name replying to Emily's Facebook page, she asked what the unusual name was. I said Paz, and she asked "Paz Smith???"

I am taking my personal address book to knitting tonight. I am going to cut to the chase and ask Lisa to put a check mark by everyone in it that she knows!